Metallic sheathing.



H. S. HALE.

METALLIC SHEATHING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1911.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES- H.S.HALE

METALLIC SHEATHING.

APPLICATION FILED APR.6. 1911.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R 0 N E V N ATTORNEY a M W HENRY S. HALE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO HALE-KILBURN METAL COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

METALLIC SHEA'I'HING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1'3, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY S. HALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Sheathing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is directed to the provision of an improved form of sheathing made of sheet-metal and adapted particularly for use as a sheathing for the exterior and interior surfaces of the side walls of railway cars and other structures.

The objects of the invention are to provide such a sheathing which can be readily manufactured and applied to a wall at low cost, which is provided with means for strengthening it against distortion and rupture and which is mounted in position in such manner that if one piece of the sheathing becomes damaged, it may be removed and another inserted in its place.

In accordance with the invention the sheathing consists of a number of sections suflicient to fill the desired space, each of these sections being formed from a piece of sheet-metal of substantial size pressed to provide therein a plurality of ribs extending parallel to each other and serving to strengthen the sheet so as to prevent distortion thereof. These ribs preferably extend inwardly and on the exterior surface shallow depressions areformed extending parallel with each other which give to the ex terior surface of the sheathing an attractive appearance. These sheets are secured to the wall by means of coacting securing devices fixed to the wall and to the inner surface of the sheathing and these securing devices are suchas to. permit the several plates of the sheathing to be slid into position by a lateral movement thereof. Preferably the securing devices are such that the engaging surfaces thereof are of comparatively small area so that the area of the metallic path through the wall of the car is small and therefore the passage of heat through this wall is considerably reduced. With secur- ,ing devices of this character, when any one piece of the heathing is damaged it may be removed andanother slid into position to take its place.

I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure is a vertical sectional view of the sheathing, Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof, Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the sheathing and Figs. 4 to 8 are sectional views illustratmg various modifications of the form of securing devices shown in the preceding figures. I

Refer: .ng to these drawings, the sheathing consists of a plurality of plates of sheetmetal of substantial size and each of these plates is pressed so as to provide therein a plurality of ribs integral with the plate: upon the inner side thereof and extending parallel to each other. One of these plates is indicated at 1 and the ribs are shown at 2. In forming these ribs, the metal of the plate is pressed inwardly and then the side walls of this inwardly extending portion are brought togetherso as to lie side by side as shown in Fig. 8. These ribs serve. to stifi'en the plate so as to prevent distortion thereof and to strengthen it against rupture. The size of the plates may be varied as desired, but preferably they are of substantial area.

The wall to which the sheathing is to be secured is indicated at 3 and the securing devices for the sheathing are fixed to this wall and to the interior surface of the sheathing. The securing devices include two rails 4 secured to the wall 3 by rivets 5 and extending horizontally throughout the length of the wall, one adjacent to the lower edge of the wall and the other near the upper edge thereof. If the wall is of substantial height one or more additional rails 4 may be pro- .vided between the upper and lower ones.

Each of the rails 4 has its lateral edges bent so that they extend outwardly from the "wall 3 and are provided with laterally exner but preferably by welding them thereto.

The securing devices 7 are formed of sheetmetal pieces and have their lateral edges outwardly turned from the body portions thereof, as shown at 8, and flanges 9 are provided upon the ends of these outwardly extending portions, the flanges 9 coacting with the flanges 6 on the rails 4 to secure the sheathing to the wall 3. Preferably the securing devices 7 are tempered so as to give them a good spring action.

. In mounting the plates 1 of the sheathing in position it is only necessary to cause the flanges 9 to engage under the flanges 6 of the rails 4 and to move the plate 1 laterally until it reaches the desired position. When a plurality of the plates are thus assembled the wall 3 is concealed and the sheathing gives the wall an attractive appearance, particularly by reason of the depressions at the points where the ribs 2 are formed. These give to the sheet 1 the appearance of a plurality of narrow panels. The sheathing thus formed is of considerable strength as the sheets thereof are of substantial area and are strengthened by the integral ribs 2 formed therein and extending inwardly of the wall. If the form of the wall at the end thereof is such that the end sheet of the sheathing cannot be positioned by a lateral movement thereof, the laterally extending portions 8 of the securing devices 7 may be spread somewhat sufficient to permit the sheet 1 to be moved bodily toward the wall until it reaches its proper position whereupon the portions 8 may be released and will spring into 1 position with the flanges 9 engaging the anges 6. To'facilitate this the flanges 9 may be so formed as to provide inclmed surfaces thereon such that when these surfaces engage the outer surface of the flanges 6 the plate 1 may be forced toward the wall and a cam-action will take place such as to spread the outwardly extending portions 8 until the flanges 9 pass the flanges 6 whereupon the securing devices will spring into plate in place.

Figs. 4 to 8 illustrate modifications of the form of securing devices shown in Figs. 1 to 3, as above described. In Fig. 4 each of the rails 10 secured to the wall 3 has one outwardly extending flanged portion and the securing pieces 11 mounted upon the plate 1 and coacting with the rails 10 are similarly provided with but one flange. The

position for holding the coaction of these parts to secure the plates of the sheathing in position will be readily understood from the drawing. In Fig. 5 the flanges on the securing pieces 12 are arranged to enter between the flanges upon the rails 13 and after one or more of the plates of .the sheathing have been properly ositioned strips or wedge pieces 14 may be inserted between the flanges of the securing pieces 12 so as to spread them and hold them in firm engagement with the flanges upon the rails 13. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate other shapes which may be given to the flanges of the rails 15 and the coacting flanges of the securing pieces 16. In all of these forms the securing pieces 16 are made of sheet-metal having a good spring action such that they will hold the plates 1 firmly in position and preclude any rattling whlch might otherwise take place. Also the cam surfacesl? are provided on one or the other of the coacting flanges such that on moving the late of the sheathing bodily toward the wa the securing devices will be caused to assume their proper positions automatically.

Another advantage of the construction.

herein described is that the sheathing is spaced apart slightly from the wall and the metallic arts connecting the sheathing plates and the wall are of comparatively small cross-section; as a result 0 this, the transmission of heat through the wall takes place to only a small extent. Such transmission of heat takes place most readily through the metal but the paths through the metal are very small; and the spaces between the sheathing and the wall form deadair spaces through which heat is transmitted but poorly.

Having described my invention what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statw is:

1. In sheathing construction, the combination of a supporting structure, a pair of rails secured thereto, having flanges, a sheetmetal sheathing, and a plurality of s ringmetal securing devices fixed to said s eathing at distributed oints along lines corresponding to said rails, said securing devices having flanges thereon coacting with the flanges on the rails to secure the sheathing in position, said securing devices permitting movement of the sheathmg sup orted thereby in the plane of the sheathing, and certain of said coacting rail and securing device flanges being provided with inclined surfaces such that the sheathing ma be mounted on the .rails by movement'o the sheathing toward the supporting structure,

said securing device flanges being pressed laterally by said rail flanges in said movement, and then springing into securing position, substantially as set forth.

2. In sheathing construction, the combination of a supporting structure, a pair of rails secured thereto, having flanges, a sheetmetal sheathing consisting of a sheet-metal plate having a plurality of integral parallel sheathing,

in said movement, and then springing into 10 securing position, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 31st day of March, 1911.

HENRY S. HALE.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. KILBURN, WALTER M. Sworn. 

